President Barack Obama welcomed Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki to Washington Monday, declaring the Iraq war over while reinforcing continued American support.
As the last U.S. troops prepare to be home from Iraq by Christmas, President Obama told the press at the White House, “We’re here to mark the end of this war.”
It was now time to “begin a new chapter in the history between our countries” he continued, to forge “a normal relationship between sovereign nations.”
Obama said a “successful democratic Iraq” would be an important role model for the region but that that success was all the more important for the sacrifices that both countries had made.
“We’ve got an enormous investment of blood and treasure in Iraq,” he said, “And we want to make sure that even as we bring the last troops out, that it’s well understood, both in Iraq and here in the United States, that our commitment to Iraq’s success is going to be enduring.”
Over a million American soldiers have served in the nearly nine-year war. Loss of life totaled 4,500 and many thousands were wounded.
Over 100,000 Iraqi’s are estimated to have died during the war.
Obama pledged during his 2008 campaign that he would withdraw U.S. forces from Iraq. On Monday he noted that since he had taken office 150,000 soldiers had returned home.
He confirmed that there would be no bases or troops in Iraq by next year.
“Those days are over,” Obama said.
Speaking through a translator, Prime Minister al-Maliki responded, saying the U.S. mission to establish an independent Iraq had been a “success” and Iraq was now responsible for its own security and future.
“Nobody imagined that we would succeed in defeating terrorism and al-Qaeda,” he said.
Al-Maliki said Iraq would need to build on the framework that had been established by U.S. forces and for that it would need continuing U.S. support.
“The relationship will not end with the departure of the last American soldier,” he said.
Obama was forthcoming in his response. The United States would help Iraq through “partnerships” to expand trade and commerce, “collaborations” on science and technology and development of the Iraqi energy sector.
The president also noted that Iraq would need diplomatic and military support.
“We will be working to set up effective military-to-military ties that are no different from the ties that we have with countries throughout the region and around the world,” he said.
Iraq’s air force was destroyed during Saddam Hussein’s rule and Prime Minister al-Maliki noted that the Iraqi military was desperately short of military hardware.
“Definitely we have raised the issue of the Iraqi need for weapons for area protection, naval and ground protection,” al-Maliki said.
National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor released a statement to coincide with al-Maliki’s visit, announcing that the U.S. government would sell 18 F-16 fighter jets to Iraq, CNN reported. That is on top of the sale of 18 of the same jets, announced earlier this year.
According to a Gallup poll conducted in March, 75 percent of all Americans support U.S. withdrawal from Iraq. While 43 percent of Republicans participating in those polls also supported the withdrawal, there remain concerns in some conservative circles that the withdrawal has come too soon.
Sen. John McCain, (R-Ariz.) responded to the Iraqi prime minister’s visit with a statement accusing both Obama and al-Maliki of allowing “political considerations ... to trump our common security interests.”
“All of the progress that both Iraqis and Americans have made, at such painful and substantial cost, has now been put at greater risk. I hope I am wrong, but I fear I am not,” he said.
